PHI LOS 0 P H Y . - Classic Works of Apologetics Online

The Moral Sen.re'.
Now the question is, whether, if this story were
related to the wild boy , caught some years ago in·
the woods of Hanover, or to a savage without expe.
rience, and without instruction, cut off in his infan­
~y from all intercourse with his species, and consequently,
under no possible influence of example, authority,
education, sympathy, or habit; whether, I
say, such a one would feel, upon the relation, any
degree of that sentiment of disapprobation of Toranius·
conduct which we feel, or not.-
They who m:antain the e?Cistence of a monl sense
---of inllate maxims--of a natural conscience-that
the love of virtue and hatred of vice are instinctive
--or the perception of right and wrong intuitive (all
which are only different ways of expressing the SaIlle
opinion) affirm that he would.
They who deny the €xistence of a moral sense, &.c.
affirm that he would not.
--\nd, upon this, Issue is joined. .
As the experiment has ne=ver beeD made, and from
the difficulty of pro\:uring a subject (not to mention
the impossibility of proposing the question to him, if
we had one) is never likely to be made, what would
lle the event, can only be judged of from probable
reasons.
1'hose who contend for_the affirnlative, obser\re, that
we approve examples of generosity, gratitude, fideli·
ty, &c. and condemn the conrrary , instantly, without
deliberation, without halTing any interest of our own
concerned in them; ofttimes without being can.
scicus of, or able to give, any reason for our approbation;
that this approbation is uniform and universal
; the s&me sorts of conduct being approved or
dj~"i1>roved in all ages and countries of the worldcircumstances,
say they, which strongly indicate th'e
operation of an instinct or nloral sense.
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